Promises Reclaimed
by Liadan
Summary: When her betrothed is exiled for treason, Serenity is unwillingly caught in the middle.


Title: Promises Reclaimed  
Author: Liadan  
E-mail: Ca2285@hotmail.com   
Summary-When her betrothed is exiled for treason, Serenity is unwillingly caught in the  
middle.   
Rating PG-13 (For later chapters)  
  
Right now I should probably be working on my other story, or better yet working on one   
of the three papers my English teacher has assigned. Instead I am procrastinating like   
mad, and presenting you with this chapter, which hopefully will amuse you as much it   
amused me.   
  
Prologue  
  
The very first thing the young heir to Moon throne did when she saw her betrothed was to   
soundly kick him in the shin. The betrothed, Endymion as he was called, promptly   
dropped the precious cargo that had caused her immediate agitation. The tiny, almost   
transparent frog, hit the ground, looking no worse for the wear. Giggling, at the boy's   
dumbfounded expression the little girl scoped the frog up into her tiny hands. Clumps of   
blond curls flowed in a haphazard manner around her cherubic face, and Endymion could   
only stare in awe at the deceivingly, angelic creature.   
  
The little girl seemed to realize that she was still supposed to be angry with him, and   
screwed up her face.   
  
"My froggy." she announced haughtily, stroking the frog with plump fingers.   
  
Endymion took a step back, stuck his hands in pockets and shrugged. He wasn't quite   
ready to deal with this unexpected turn in his visitation. He was after all only thirteen   
years old and not experienced in dealing with small children. He was in spite of himself   
a little intrigued, so instead of strategically retreating; he waited in fascination for what   
the little girl would do next.  
  
Satisfied, with the change in possession of the frog the little girl shifted her attention to   
back to Endymion.   
  
"You're big."   
  
"That's because you're small." Endymion felt obliged to point out.   
  
She didn't like been called small. "Well, I'm gonna be this high," she demonstrated with   
her hands, reaching as far up as she could go, "when I grow up." She thought he looked   
sufficiently impressed.   
  
"Are we gonna get married?" The little girl had been at her own betrothal ceremony, but   
most of the symbolic and literal meaning of the ceremony had been lost on her. To her it   
had been a blur of confusing words and faces. She had been scrubbed clean, forced to   
wear an itchy white dress, and then was told none to gently to hush when she complained.   
  
"Yes." Endymion wondered if the little girl even knew what marriage was.   
  
"I don't want to marry you." Abruptly the little girl hiked her blue dress up to an indecent   
height and plopped herself down in the wet grass. She was petting the frog now and   
talking softly to it.  
  
Endymion's pride was a little injured at her pronouncement. "Why not?" he demanded.   
Was there something wrong with him?  
  
"Because I want to marry him." The little girl looked down at the frog she was holding in   
her arms.   
  
Endymion was stunned. She'd rather marry a frog? How horrible did he seem to her? He   
had to know. "Why do you want to marry a frog?" he asked pathetically.  
  
"He's a prince." It made perfect sense to the little girl. Just like in the story her   
nursemaid had told her, she would kiss the frog and he would turn into a handsome   
prince.  
  
Endymion was wondering what other misconceived notions this little girl had. "I'm a   
prince too, you know." He had to defend himself, he reasoned, even if it was only   
against a frog.  
  
She thought about that for a second, tilting her head. Her brow furrowed. "You are?"   
she asked.  
  
Endymion's chest puffed out. "Of course, silly. Why would you want to marry him,   
when you could marry me?"   
  
The little girl took another look at the frog, feeling its cold, bumpy skin. With her clumsy   
fingers she picked it up, studying it intently. The distressed frog let out a chirping sound,   
until she returned it back to the palm of her hand. Then she looked up at Endymion   
standing above her, with his serious blue eyes waiting for her response.   
  
" I don't need to marry him then." she stated flatly, pointing at the frog.   
  
"No you don't." Endymion said firmly.   
  
Abruptly she lowered her mouth to the slimy thing and placed a sloppy kiss on it.   
Besides a startled blink the frog stayed exactly as he was. Shrugging her shoulders she   
proclaimed sadly, "It didn't work!"   
  
"I thought you didn't want to marry the frog anymore." Endymion exclaimed logically.  
  
"I wanted to make sure." With her other hand she grabbed a handful of her dress and   
twisted it. "I'll guess I'll just have to marry you." She gently put the frog down in the   
grass and stood up. She walked in a circle around Endymion, examining him.  
  
Endymion watched her warily, unsure of her next move. She looked like a dirty angel   
now, the grass had stained the pale yellow dress she wearing, and there was dirt smudged   
on her cheek. Her face was deadly serious now.  
  
"Where's your crown?" True princes always wore crowns. The little girl was pretty sure   
of this.   
  
"I only wear it on special occasions." Endymion answered.   
  
"You're not a real prince then." she exclaimed.   
  
"Yes, I am." Endymion was a little exasperated.   
  
"Princes wear crowns." she stated blankly. Didn't he know that? If he was a prince, he   
must not be a very good one.   
  
"Shouldn't you be wearing one then?" Endymion retorted.  
  
"I am a princess." she said indignantly.   
  
"Shouldn't princess's wear crowns all the time then too?"  
  
"No." The little girl restlessly curled her bare foot on the soft ground. Somewhere along   
the line she had managed to loose her slippers. Her nursemaid, Heloise was not going to   
be happy when she found her.   
  
As if she had summoned her, the nursemaid a slightly, overweight woman with mousy   
clumps of hair pulled severely back, from her otherwise pleasant face, rounded the   
corner, heaving with exhaustion. Spotting the little girl, she pounced on her victim with  
relish.   
  
"Serenity," she barked, "What are you doing out here? You are supposed to be taking a   
nap!" The nursemaid hauled the girl up by the arms, and was inspecting the damage   
done to her clothing, and muttering all the while she was doing. "You girl are trouble   
with a capital T. I let you out of my sights for a minute, pray you only one minute and   
look what you've gotten yourself into! Where are your slippers?"  
  
Serenity shrugged, looking quite pitiful caught between the two large arms of her   
nursemaid.   
  
"Don't tell me you've lost them!" The nursemaid was practically dragging the little girl   
towards the palace when she spotted Endymion.   
  
"Oh, your Highness I didn't see you here." she exclaimed breathlessly. "Pray excuse, my   
lady's awful behavior. I'm sure that next time you see her she'll be perfectly behaved.   
Won't you Serenity?" The nursemaid elbowed the little girl. "Show your betrothed how   
you can curtsy."   
  
The little girl grimaced, but obeyed. She grabbed her dress and attempted one,   
unfortunately stumbling in the process of her awkward curtsy. Her nursemaid caught her   
by the arm before she fell over.   
  
"Really, Serenity." Heloise chided. "Well we must be off. Good day to you, your Highness."   
  
The last Endymion of his betrothed was the little girl gazing back at him with the  
beseeching, blue eyes as she was whisked away.  
  
He decided in that moment that she would be his, forever. 


End file.
